Adjustable arch-supporter.



T. HUGHES.

ADJUSTABLE ARCH SUPPORTERH' APPLICATION FILED JAN.5, 1909.

940,022. Patented Nov. 16, 1909.

W/T/VESSES; HVVE/VIOR JPWGL Mmmlmd/ 7 771mm, 11mg)? k y ATTORNEKS' S Priifi l lltill tlFlQllh THOMAS HUGHES, OF EAST SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, 01" ONE-HALF TO CHARLES. J. WALSH, 8F QA'MBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ADJUSTABLE encn-sueronrna.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Nov. 1c, 1909.

Application filed January 5, 1909. Serial lilo. 470,828. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS Huonns, re siding at East Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Adjustable Arch-Supporter, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved construction of that class of devices known in the art and t0 the trade, as arch supporters that are worn inside of boots and shoes for supporting the arch of the instep for sustaining the instep, and in such manner that the broken down condition of fiat feet can be raduallybuilt up and restored to the normal condition.

With the above and other objects in View, hereinafter explained, my invention in its generic nature, comprehends a main or body portion, that is sole sha ed and conforms to the shape of the arch o the foot, and which may be formed of any suitable material, but preferably of stout leather, and an adjustable device that is combined therewith for regulating the lift or height of the arch, that also forms the supporting or rest member for the splin plates that positively hold the main or ody portion under pressure against the arch of the foot of the user.

In its more complete nature, my invention embodies an improved coiiperative arrangement of a leather support or arch of the foot engaging body, and means for bolding a desired number of arched sprin 3 against the under side of the said body, said means comprising oppositely disposed plates,

each secured at the outer end to the opposite ends of the leather body and whose inner ends lap and slidably engage with each other combined with a device for holding'them together.

In its more subordinate nature, my invention consists in certain details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will be hereinafiter fully explained, specifically pointed out-in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, is a view that shows my preferred formof arch supporter, so much of a shoe and foot being shown as to clearly illustrate my invention. Fig. 2, is a perspective 'view of the leather support or body member.

Fig. 3, is a detail perspective view of the 0pposing and slidable spring holding members,

"in line and coacting with therivet separated, Fig. 41, is a top plan view of my invention, the metal springs and the adjust--- ablespring holder being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 5, is a transverse section on the line 55 on Fig. l.

In the preferred form of my invention, the main or body portion 1 of my supporter all is made sole shaped and of stout leather, and

it has one side l0 curved upward to fit the" are odset to fonn'shoulders ill-+21, the purpose or which will presently-appear, and the said plates extend inwardly-toward each other and lap to slide upon each other as is clearly shown in Fig. 1, and by reference to Fig. 3 it will be observed that each plate 2 has a longitudinal slot 23 (in the practical size, three-eighths of an inch long and one: eighth of an inch wide), the said slots being or fastener devices 4:&, that secure the ends of the plates 22 on each other but allow foe the :tree sliding movement thereof. 5'5 designate the steel arch. springs that are made of suitable sizes to forfn, as it'were,

a laminated pack for resting under the arch of the body 1. These springs are preferably of the plain rectangular shape as shownin Fig. 4 or they may be of a special forniliaving one end turned up for fitting over the,

I inside of the instep.

So far as described it will be apparent that by forming the main or body portion 1 of leather, and joining its opposite ends with the adjustable holders or plates 2-2, provi sion can be readily made for usinglone or more of the springs 55,-;tron1 one to six or more, as conditions of the foot may make desirable, and the fitting of the spring plates can be quickly and easily donevsince the springs can be fitted onto the holders 2-2 and under the member 1 without disturbing theplates-22 or the body 1, as the plates have at least one-eighth of an inch, more or less, play. It will also be apparent that in the construction as described, thc foot of the,

wearer 1s yieldingly, supported at all points Where the foot bears on the supporter and the pressure of the supportercan be easily increased or decreased by simply removing or adding 5 rings 5 which are held from dislacement y the ends of the lowermost or ongest one of the packs engaging the shoulders 21-21 on the plates 2 as is clearly shown in Fig. l, the said shoulders also checking undue yielding of the springs.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is: v

1. An instep arch supporter, comprising a flexible body shaped for engaging the arch of a foot, an arched spring that extends lengthwise of the body and means for holding the spring against the body, said means consisting of a pair of opposing plates, connected at one end to'the flexible body and 'n'ieens at the other ends of said 0 aosin plates for slidably connecting said ends with one another.

2. In an arch supporter, the combination with a flexible body shaped. to fit the arch of a foot, a pair of opposing metal plates that extend lengthwise of the flexible body, the

outer end of each plate being secured to the flexible body, the inner ends thereof being longitudinally slotted and lapping each other, a rivet connection, that fits the said slots, and an arched spring reniovably mounted in the said opposing plates and held to engage the under side of the flexible body.

3. In an arch supporter, the combination with a flexible body shaped to fit the arcl of a foot, a pair of opposing metal plates that extend lengthwise of the flexible body, the outer ends thereof being secured to the flexible body and having a shoulder, the inner ends thereof being longitudinally slotted and lapping each other, rivet connection for the slotted lapped ends, and one or more arched springs removably mounted on the said plates and held thereby to engage the under side of the flexible bodv.

THOMAS HUGHES.

Witnesses: I

PHILIP DENNIS Dorms, PAUL E. Srnznen. 

